I approached the situation with lightness and ease. Instead of engaging in self-negative, self-defeating talk, I simply let the story go, and focused on the facts. The more you practice yoga and mindfulness, the more in tuned you become with your body and mind. You become less judgmental of yourself and others. You flow with life rather than against it.

We are bombarded all day long with external stimulation. Savasana is the one time in a yoga class where all external stimulation ceases. It is a very powerful practice to go within and be silent. This is where the real healing and transformation occur.

Do you suffer from insomnia? Stress and anxiety? Racing thoughts? Depression and Fatigue?

Yoga Nidra is a sleep-based guided meditation designed to nourish and revitalize body, mind and spirit. During the meditation, you will be supported by the use of blankets, bolsters and blocks to allow the body to rest comfortably. Once the body is at the ease, the mind follows.

Read the full post to see what others are saying about Yoga Nidra with Tara.

Resolutions don’t work because they follow the same principle as a goal. I’d like to give you a different way to approach resolutions and goals. It’s called an intention. You may have heard this word used in a yoga class, either in the beginning and/or end of the practice. How do intentions differ from goals? The main difference between an intention and a goal is that in the case of an intention, there is no end point. You’ll still use a positive affirmation of something you want to accomplish. I like to think of an intention as a new direction you would like your life to go. However, where a goal would say, “by this date, I want to accomplish x, y or z.”, an intention allows more freedom, space and flexibility. This is important because life will usually get in the way or throw you a bump or curve in the road.

A few weeks back, I attended the Sing Out Loud Music Festival in St. Augustine. This was a weekend showcase of great music all over the city. Standing in the same spot for hours in the heat was challenging, albeit worth it in the end to see such great bands perform live right in front of you. This inspired me to come up with a yoga sequence that would help with all the standing in one spot for hours on end.

I’ve found that by moving slow, with intent, has taken me deeper into a moving meditation. When I lie down in Savasana or meditation, I attain much more calmness, clarity and stillness, then when I don’t otherwise.

Meditation allows you the space to choose how to respond to any given situation which arises. Instead of ignorantly reacting, a consistent meditation practice helps to train the mind in slowing down, stepping back, and discerning what is really true.

When I meditate, I will imagine the two sides of my body. Starting at the back of the head, at the occipital ridge, I bring my awareness to the even distribution of weight between the two sides. Working down, I will sense my shoulder blades and even them out, hip bones, etc., until my body is resting comfortably on the floor, the points that make contact evenly making contact with the earth.

Since graduating from yoga teacher training, I’ve been trying to build my brand, get my name out there, and establish myself as a successful yoga teacher. I envision teaching to sold out crowds, flying around the globe hosting retreats, workshops and conferences. But after two and a half years of constant hustle, I find that I am struggling to fill up classes and get teaching gigs.

As summer approaches, it's time to get out of town and explore this big, beautiful world. However, if you are stuck in the airport for any length of time, it can take a toll on your mind, body and spirit. Excessive sitting in tight spaces can weak havoc, resulting in tight muscles and depleted energy. Below is a short sequence you can do while waiting in the airport to relieve tension and strengthen your resolve.

As a beginner, I used to silently scream and fidget in this pose. My wrists would ache, my hips would never reach high enough, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not get my heels to touch the mat. When instructors would say this was a resting pose, I scoffed. Nothing about it felt like rest.